Handles



S. KOFFLER March 6, 1962 HANDLES Filed Nov. 2, 1959 INVENTOR: SOL KOFFLER 3,023,868 HANDLES Sol Koliler, 600 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI. Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,385 1 Claim. (Cl. 190-57) This invention relates to handles and, more particularly, to handles which are particularly well adapted for use on hand luggage, and the like.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel handle for use on hand luggage, and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel handle of the aforementioned type embodying padding constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner.

Padded handles for use on hand luggage, and the like, have been heretofore known in the art. However, such handles as have been heretofore known in the art have had several inherent disadvantages such as, for example, being weak in construction; not being constructed to effectively withstand the handling to which such handles are normally subjected; being complicated in construction; being expensive and difficult to manufacture, and the like. It is another object of the present invention to overcome such disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel padded handle for use on hand luggage, and the like, wherein the padding is firmly secured in proper position therein in a novel and expeditious manner.

A further object is to afford a novel covered and padded handle of the aforementioned type which is attractive in appearance and is practical and eflicient in operation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to afford a novel handle of the aforementioned type wherein the parts thereof are constituted and arranged, and are secured together, in a novel and expeditious manner.

Another object is to provide a novel handle for use on hand luggage, and the like, which is practical and efiicient in operation, and which may be readily and economically manufactured in a novel and expeditious manner.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof, and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments 'of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a handle embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the handle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the handle shown in FIG. 1.

A handle 1, embodying the principles of the present invention, is shown in the drawings to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The handle 1 embodies, in general, an elongated, substantially channel-shaped backing member 2, having an elongated pad 3 mounted in the longitudinal central portion thereof, and two socket members 4 and 5 mounted on opposite ends of the backing member 2 in position to f snags Patented Mar. 6, 1962 hold the respective ends of the backing member 2 together, and to hold the pad 3' in operative position in the backing member 2, FIGS. 2., 3 and 4.

The backing member 2 is substantially channel-shaped in construction, embodying a body member 6, which may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, sheet steel, and a covering 7 extending over and covering the outer surface of the body member 6. The lateral edge portions of the covering '7 extend inwardly over and are attached to the outer edge portions of the inner surface of the body member 6, FIGS. 2 and 4. The covering 7 may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, leather or a suitable synthetic plastic, and may be secured to the body member d by a suitable adhesive such as, for example, glue.

The backing member 2 is of a somewhat modified U- shape having a substantially straight, elongated central portion or bight portion 8 and two end portions 9 and 10 projecting outwardly from respective opposite ends of the bight portion 8 at outwardly opening acute angles to the longitudinal center line of the bight portion 8, FIG. 2. The end portions 9 and 10 afford inwardly opening sockets at the opposite ends of the bight portion 8 and preferably are gradually diminishing in transverse cross section toward their outer ends, FIG. 5.

The pad 3 is preferably a substantially straight, elongated member of circular cross section, and embodies a filler or padding 11 made of suitable material such as, for example, sponge rubber, with the outer peripheral surface of the padding l1 completely covered by a suitable covering 12., FIGS. 2 and 5. The covering 12 may be any suitable material such as, for example, leather or a suitable synthetic plastic, and may be secured to the padding 11 by a suitable adhesive such as, for example, glue.

Prior to the assembling of the parts of the handle 1, the backing member 2 is preferably of substantially open channel-shape, having two elongated legs or flanges l3 and 14 disposed along and projecting from opposite respective longitudinal edges of a web portion 15, FIG. 5. The pad 3 is of such size and shape, that when the parts of the backing member 2 are disposed in this position, the pad 3 may be readily inserted into the bight portion 8 of the backing member 2, with the ends 16 and 17 of the pad 3 projecting into the ends 9 and 10 of the backing member 2. The ends 16 and 17 of the pad 3 are preferably bevelled in such a manner that when the pad 3 is disposed in normal position in the backing member 2, the ends 16 and 17 are disposed in substantially parallel relation to the longitudinal center lines of the ends 9 and 10, respectively, of the backing member 2, FIG. 2.

After the pad 3 has been mounted in the backing memher 2 in the aforementioned manner, the end portions 18 and '19 of the flange 14 may be bent inwardly therearound toward the other flange 13, and the end portions 20 and 21 of the flange 13 may be bent inwardly around the pad 3 toward the flange 14. As may be seen in FIG. 5, the end portions 18 and 20 of the flanges '14 and 13, respectively, are disposed in the end portion 9 of the backing member 2, and the end portions 19 and 21 are disposed in the end portion vl0 of the backing member 2. The bending of the end portions 18-21 around the pad 3 is such that the end portions 18 and 20 terminate in spaced relation to each other, FIG. 3, and are disposed in firm holding engagement with the end 16 of the pad 3, and the end portions 19 and 21 terminate in spaced relation to each other and are disposed in firm holding engagement with the end 17 of the pad 3.

The socket members 4 and 5 are identical in construction and may be made from any suitable material such as, for example, sheet steel. Each may be made from an elongated strip of suitable sheet material such as, for exguesses ample, the aforementioned steel, bent around its longitudinal center portion and around its longitudinal center line in a manner to afford a substantially cup-shaped socket member having an outer or closed end '22 and an open or. inner end 23, FIG. 5. The longitudinal center portion 24 of the strip of material from which the respective socket members 4 and 5 are formed, is smaller in width than the opposite end portions 25 and 26 thereof. The end portions 25 and 26 are each bent into a substantially semi-cylindrical shape around their respective center lines, opening toward each other, FIG. 5, whereby the closed end 22 of the socket members 4 and 5 is in the form of a loop projecting rearwardly from the end portions 25 and 26 for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently.

The end portion 26 of each strip from which the respective socket members 4 or 5 is constructed, includes a flange 27 on the end thereof opposite to the end 22, and the flange 27 is disposed substantially perpendicular to the end 26 and projects inwardly toward the other end portion 25.

After the end portions 9 and 10 of the backing member 2 have been closed around the end portions 16 and 17 of the pad 3, as previously described, the socket members 4 and 5 may be mounted on the end portions 9 and ll), respectively. During the mounting of the socket members 4 and 5 on the end portions 9 and 10 respectively, the end portions and 26 thereof are preferably somewhat spaced from each other, as shown in FIG. 5,'

so as to facilitate the ready mounting of the socket members 4 and 5 on the end portions 9 and 10. In mounting the socket member 4 on' the end portion 9, it is moved inwardly thereover into position wherein the flange 27 of the socket member 4 is disposed inwardly of, and in abutting engagement with, the inner edges 28 and 29 of the end portions 18 and 20 of the flanges 14 and 13, respectively. Likewise, in mounting the socket member 5 on the end portion 10, it is moved inwardly thereover into position wherein the flange 27 of the socket member 5 is disposed inwardly of, and in abutting engagement with, the inner edges 30 and 31 of the end portions 19 and 21 of the flanges 14 and 13, respectively.

Thereafter, the end portions 25 and 26 of the socket members 4 and 5 may be squeezed inwardly toward each other into firm clamping engagement with the respective end portions 9 and 10 of the backing member 2, and may be secured in such position by suitable means such as rivets 32 and 33 extending through the end portions 9 and 10, respectively, and the socket members 4 and 5, respectively, FIG. 2. Each of the socket members 4 and 5 has two openings 34 and 35 through the end portions 25 and 26 thereof, through whichthe rivets 32 or 33 may be inserted. The rivets 32 and 33 preferably extend through suitable openings 35 and 37 in the webs 15 of the end portions 9 and 10, respectively, and between the end portions 18 and 20 and the end portions 19 and 211, respectively, FIG. 3.

When the socket members 1 and 5 are so mounted on the end portions 9 and 10, the flanges 27 thereof project I inwardly past the ends 18 and 20, and the ends 19 and 21, respectively, and dig into the end portions 16 and 17, respectively, of the pad 3, FIG. 2. Thus it will be seen that the socket members 4 and 5 not only hold the end portions 9 and 10 in firm engagement with the ends 16 and 17 of the pad 3, but the flanges 27 of the socket members 4 and 5 also afford gripping members which bite into the pad 3.

The pad 3 is preferably of such cross-sectional size and shape that when it is mounted in the backing member 2, and is secured in operative position therein, as previously expressed, it is firmly seated therein with a relatively snug fit, whereby it affords a pleasing appearance, and is effective to afford practical and eificient padding for the handle 1. i )9 The handle 1 may be secured to a suitable article such as, for example, a piece of hand luggage, and the like, by means of substantially U-shaped links 38 and 39 extended through the endportion'22 of the socket members 4 and 5, respectively, and attached to suitable attaching devices 40 and 41, respectively, secured to the article to which the handle is to be attached.

From theforegoing it will be seen that I have afforded a novel and practical handle which is particularly Well adapted for use on hand luggage, and the like.

Also, it will be seen that I have afforded a novel handle of the aforementioned type which' may be readily and economically producedcomm ercially, and is eflicient and practical in operation.

Thus, while l have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification,

and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claim.

' tions in position to afiord a substantially U-shaped fastening member projecting outwardly from said upper and lower portions, each of said lower portions having 'a flange projecting toward said upper portion of the socket member of which it forms a part, each of said socket members being mounted on a respective end portion of said backing member with said flange on said socket member disposed inwardly of said last mentioned'erid portion in abutting engagement with the inner edge poi"- tion thereof, and elongated fastening members extending through said backing member and said upper and lower portions outwardly of said pad and in position to secure said socket members on respective end portions of said backing member in position to clamp said flanges in biting engagement withsaid' pad and in said abutting engagement with said inner edge portions of said end portions of said backing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 245,3 69 Gay Aug. 9, 1881 1,495,950 Chakoy May 27, 1924 1,705,858 Finkelstein Mar. 19, 1929 1,977,674 Finkelstein .Oct. 23, 1934 2,908,362 Burtchaell Oct. 13, 1959 FOREIGN. PATENTS 694,252 Great Britain July 15, 1953 1,190,107 France Mar. 31, 1959 7' 473,547 Canada L. May 15, 1 1,151,339 France .l.l l Aug. 19, 1957 

